Amidst the rise of COVID-19 cases in the Greater Houston area due to the highly transmittable omicron variant, Spring ISD leaders updated the district’s pandemic policies as students were welcomed back to class from the winter break.
Students began the spring semester Jan. 4, and the district opted to keep its mask mandate in place, according to a Dec. 31 news release. Free COVID-19 vaccination and testing services also resumed districtwide.
“We also strongly encourage those who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine (ages 5 and older) or booster (ages 16 and older) to get one as soon as possible,” the news release read.
District leaders also opted to halve the required quarantine period for individuals who test positive for COVID-19 from 10 days to five days in accordance with updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a Jan. 4 news release. Other protocol, such as the district’s definition of “close contact,” will remain unchanged from the fall semester.
SISD will also continue to release counts of the number of students with COVID-19 cases online, according to the news release. As of Jan. 7, SISD had reported 209 active COVID-19 cases in students, while 115 SISD staff members had tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks.
The district’s full list of COVID-19 procedures can be viewed here, and the COVID-19 case counts can be viewed here.
SISD began offering testing and vaccination in partnership with Inspire Diagnostics at these locations beJan. 3: Child Nutrition, 15330 Kuykendahl Road; Family & Community Engagement Center, 17125 Ella Blvd.; and Planet Ford Stadium, 23802 Cypresswood Drive. In January, the service hours will be from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays and from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
Check SISD’s social media accounts regularly for any changes or updates on these sites.
